On May 28, 2001, The members of the Grenville M. Dodge Camp#75 Dept.of Iowa, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil with the Ladies Auxiliary of the Grenville M. Dodge post No.8 held a Rededication Ceremony for Flower Girl Monument at Woodland Cemetery in Des Moines, Iowa.
Department of Iowa Patriotic Instructor
James Hawk read a speech to crowd:
`"Weclome all that has come to
this Memorial Day Service. We are here to remember those men and women
who went off to fight in the War of the Rebellion and those who never made
home from battle. We need to remember those Soldiers, Marines, and Sailors
who are buried in unmarked graves who have no one to take care of their
graves.The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War want remember those
men who died for our country.
The First Memorial Day was observed on the May 30, 1868, with a parade that took an hour to march to Woodland Cemetery from where the State Capital would be built. About 10 little girls in white robes decorated the graves with flowers before the soldiers would fire off volley over their fallen comrades. The members of the Grenville M. Dodge restored this fine monument to honor those Flower Girls.
Let me quote poem that I had read:
There is no death! The stars go down to rise upon some fairer shore, and
bright in heaven's jeweled crown to shine forever more.
There is no death! The dust we
tread shall change beneath the summer showers to golden rain or mellow
fruit, or rainbow tinted flowers.
There is no death! Angel from walk
over the earth with silent tread he bears our best loved thing away, and
then we call them dead.
May we stand in moment of silent
to honor those men and women who are no longer with us but not forgotten
in our hearts.
Brother Jack Kopaska said pray to those fallen men who lay in unmarked graves in the United States during the War of the Rebellion.
President of ladies Auxiliary of Grenville M. Dodge Post No. 8 Dept. of Iowa, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, Hellen Dodd said a few words to honor those men who are no longer with us from the Civil War.
The Ladies Auxiliary placed flower on the flower Girl Monument for the members of the Ladies Auxiliary who have no longer with us but not forgotten.
This view of the Flower that were placed on the Flower Girl Monument.
Camp Commander of the Grenville
M. Dodge Camp #75 Department of Iowa, Sons Of Union Veterans of the Civil
War, Rick Ellis fire off one volley to honor our Civil War Ancestor.Then
taps was played to closed the Rededication Ceremony.